A sauna suit, also called a rubber suit, is a waterproof garment that’s designed to retain body heat to encourage excessive perspiration as you exercise while wearing it.
Typically, these suits are made of coated nylon cloth or rubber and consist of drawstring pants and pullover jackets.
A sauna suit has closures at its ankles, wrists, neck, and waist, all of which are elastic to ensure it can retain your body’s moisture and heat within it.
Some sauna suits come with hoods to help retain more body heat and sweat. A sauna suit induces excessive sweating because it increases the physiological strain.
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The benefits of sauna suits
Sauna suits are used primarily as a way to increase sweating, cut water weight and burn more calories than you would during normal exercise.
They’re a very cheap and affordable way to do that in comparison to a normal sauna, but do not actually increase heat or create any “sauna” like effect. Learn more about the different types of saunas.
Just imagine essentially wearing your thickest, heaviest clothes and that’s roughly what you are doing here except in a suit that is still very easy to move in.
Sauna suits may claim that they also “sculpt” your body or reduce fat in a specific location, but this is not a scientific or accurate claim.
Can a sauna suit help you lose weight?
Can a sauna suit help you lose weight? If so, how much weight can you lose while wearing a sauna suit? These are some of the pertinent questions sportsmen and sportswomen have asked over the years.
By merely wearing a sauna suit, you can lose weight, even though it may boost your metabolism rate to burn more calories.
Several factors come into play as to whether or not you can lose weight by wearing a sauna suit and how much weight you can lose, if any.
Remember that you can’t lose weight without working out, reducing the number of calories you consume, and drinking a lot of water.
Doing all these and balancing them well may help you lose some weight and stay healthy.
You can lose weight by working out while wearing a sauna suit because of fat loss and increased sweating.
In fact, if you are obese or overweight, the percentage of fat in your body, fat oxidation rate, and blood glucose will improve significantly when you exercise in a sauna suit.
Working out while wearing a sauna suit will help you lose some weight.
Researchers have found that you can lose up to 2 pounds every week when you work out regularly while wearing a sauna suit. In particular, you can lose up to 1,000 calories every month.
Keep in mind, weight loss is a combination of calories in and out, so results may vary and diet remains the most important factor in losing weight.
How to Wash a Sauna Suit
As you use your sauna sweat suit, it’s bound to get dirty because it will be collecting sweat from your body. This makes it an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, which results in a bad odor.
There are two methods of washing sauna suits. You can hand-wash them or use a washing machine.
Hand-washing a sauna suit
Sauna suits are made of either nylon or PVC-coated cloth, making them easy to wash by hand. Use the following steps to get the best results.
Read the care label
The care label of the sauna suit has all the information you need to care for the suit, including washing it. For example, the care label has information about detergents to use, water temperature, and drying methods.
The label will also indicate the preferred washing method. If your suit has no care label, it’s safe to use cold or lukewarm water and the most gentle detergent.
You can also ask the supplier about the information you need.
- Put some water in a large basin or bathtub and add the detergent. Agitate the water to get a uniform solution.
- Put the suit in the water and move it around to get soaked with the water. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes, then squeeze it gently.
- Discard the water and refill the tub with clean water. Rinse the suit thoroughly, then squeeze off any excess water.
Machine-washing a sauna suit
As usual, the first step to cleaning your sauna suit is to check the care label. Some sauna suits are not machine-washable.
If yours is machine washable, It’s important that you use the correct washer settings. The care label should indicate the optimum conditions and detergents to get the best results.
In most cases, gentle or delicate cycles are the best. Never use a spin cycle as this can damage the fabric.
After hand-washing or machine-washing your sauna suit, you need to dry it properly. Check the care label for the best drying method.
Some of these suits can be dried in direct sunlight, while others need to be dried in cool, well-ventilated places.
Precautions for using a sauna suit
When using a plastic sauna suit for workouts, there are some dangers you’ll expose yourself to, including:
Over dehydration
Using a sauna suit will make you lose a lot of water through sweat.
Excessive dehydration leads to hypothermia, which can be fatal. That’s why you have to ensure you drink a lot of water while using a sauna suit.
Electrolyte imbalance
Excessive sweating can cause an electrolyte imbalance in your body, especially in the absence of proper nutrition. The symptoms of electrolyte imbalance include:
- Dizziness
- Feeling tired
- Dry skin
- Dark-colored urine
- Shivering and urinating less than usual.
- Dry mouth
- Feeling thirsty
Severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance are fatal. Seek medical attention if you experience a lack of urination, shock, rapid heart rate or breathing, fainting, or confusion.
Overheating
A sauna suit doesn’t allow heat to escape from your body as you exercise.
This can result in your body being overheated. If this happens, you may suffer from fatigue, fainting, and weakness.
Choosing the right sauna suit
There are different types of sauna suits of various sizes. You can choose a small sauna suit or a plus-sized sauna suit depending on your body size.
To choose the best, you must consider the material it’s made of, ventilation level, size, and price. The top sauna suits include:
Sauna Suit HOTSUIT
The HOTSUIT Sauna Suit is made of the Silver-Heat V2.0 fabric, making it light, durable, and odor-resistant. With this brand, you can get both a sauna suit for men and a sauna suit for women. The HOTSUIT Sauna Suit is waterproof and windproof and comes in various sizes. You can wear it on top of a sweat-absorbent t-shirt for better results.
PROS
- A wide range of sizes
- Odor-resistant
- Patented fabric
- waterproof/windproof
CONS
- The sizing is off or hard to calculate
- Hand-wash only
Sauna Suit BOXRAW
This sauna suit is made of 100% nylon fabric. It features an elastic waistline and neckline to trap more heat. It has headphone holes, rubberized cuffs, and pockets in which you can keep your valuables. You’ll love it because it’s machine washable and comes in different sizes. This sauna suit is best for men.
PROS
- Lots of sizing and color options.
- has an elastic cuff to trap more heat.
- Anti-rip fabric (100% nylon)
CONS
- The sizing is off or hard to calculate
Sauna Suit KEBILI
The KEBILI Sauna Suit is best for women. It’s made with double overlock 4-way stitching to make it more durable. The suit has a hood that helps with storing more heat. It’s made of 18% polyurethane and 82% polyester. This sauna suit comes in various sizes ranging from small to 3XL.
PROS
- Machine-washable
- Soft and comfortable
- Elastic hoodie
- No rubbing (plastic) noise when working out.
- 4-way stretch
- Waterproof and windproof
CONS
- You can’t purchase their bottom separately.
- The label is in Korean-most people don’t understand this language.
Sauna Suit RAD
The RAD Sauna Suit is a unisex sauna suit made of high-quality EVA nylon. It has a hoodie for increased heat retention. The sizes range from medium to 6XL. The RAD Sauna Suit features elastic ankles, waistline, waist, and cuffs for serious sweating workouts. It’s one of the most affordable sauna suits on the market today.
PROS
- Machine washable
- Affordable
- Water/windproof
- Adjustable velcro cuffs.
- Reflective logo
CONS
- Some ripping issues are reported.
- The sizing is off or hard to calculate
Sauna Suit KUTTING WEIGHT
Just as the name implies, this sauna suit is made of neoprene. It comes in sizes ranging from XS to 6XL. This suit is quite durable and is designed for maximum sweating sessions—no snags, rips, or tears. The best part about it is that it’s machine washable.
PROS
- Stylish design
- Excellent value for money.
- Soft hand-feel
- Slim and sleek design.
- Made of neoprene
CONS
- Not full body
- Snug
Final Thoughts
Sauna suits are among the best workout attires that can help you stay healthy. However, you need to be careful when using them because they can lead to excessive dehydration.
If you are new to sauna suits, don’t use them for more than 10 minutes in one session. Also, remember to drink a lot of water before you start using a sauna suit. Check out the benefits of sauna.
